An Experimental Approach to Overcome the Fouling Issue in Micro Heat Exchangers

Micro heat exchangers improve heat and mass transfer compared to conventional heat exchangers, enabling more energy-efficient applications. However, their sensitivity to fouling limits broader industrial application. This approach presents a combined investigation of fouling and cleaning in microscale heat exchangers using two test rigs. Individual sets of analysis methods are developed to improve the understanding of heat and mass transfer on the microscale. In addition to known methods, such as pressure loss analysis, newly developed and established image analysis techniques are used to monitor fouling and cleaning. Based on the presented methods, it is possible to predict the initial position of thermally induced fouling and to demonstrate the applicability of automated cleaning on the microscale. Micro heat exchangers enable higher heat and mass transfer but are used infrequently due to their sensitivity to fouling. A newly developed systematic approach is presented to investigate fouling and, since fouling cannot always be prevented, cleaning options on the microscale. image